''Nightingales'' is an American medical drama

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite, or cable, excluding breaking news, advertisements, or trailers that are typically placed be ...

that aired on

NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...

from January 21 to April 26, 1989. It was produced by Aaron Spelling Productions.

Premise

The series follows the stories of Christine Broderick, a supervisor of student nurses, portrayed by Suzanne Pleshette, and her five nursing students: Sam, Bridget, Yolanda, Becky, and Allyson. Other hospital personnel include Christine's

love interest ''Gli Innamorati'' (, meaning "The Lovers") were stock characters within the theatre style known as commedia dell'arte, who appeared in 16th century Italy. In the plays, everything revolved around the Lovers in some regard. These dramatic and pos ...

, Dr. Paul Petrillo; the head nurse, Lenore Ritt; and the chief of staff, Dr. Garrett Braden. Nurse Sam also has a daughter, Megan.

Cast

* Suzanne Pleshette as Christine Broderick *

Chelsea Field Chelsea Field is an American actress. Career Field started her career as a Solid Gold Dancer, and one of her first television roles was on ''Airwolf''. She also played Teela in the 1987 film adaptation of ''Masters of the Universe''. She b ...

as Sam Sullivan *

Kristy Swanson Kristen Noel Swanson (born December 19, 1969) is an American actress. She is best recognized for having played Buffy Summers in the 1992 film ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and appeared in the 1996 film ''The Phantom''. Her first starring role wa ...

as Becky Granger * Susan Walters as Bridget Loring *

Roxann Dawson Roxann Dawson (née Caballero, born September 11, 1958), also credited as Roxann Biggs and Roxann Biggs-Dawson, is an American actress and director. She is best known for her role as B'Elanna Torres on the television series '' Star Trek: Voyager' ...

as Yolanda Puente *

Kim Johnston Ulrich Kim Johnston Ulrich (born Kim Charisse Johnston) is an American actress. Born Kim Charisse Johnston, she is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. George P. Johnston. She graduated with an Associate of Arts degree in fashion merchandising from Modesto ...

as Allyson Yates * Taylor Fry as Megan Sullivan * Fran Bennett as Lenore Ritt * Barry Newman as Dr. Garrett Braden

Episodes

Production

The series was developed from a pilot

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

, also titled ''Nightingales'', that was directed by

Mimi Leder Miriam Leder (; born January 26, 1952) is an American film and television director and producer noted for her action films and use of special effects.Hurd, Mary G. Women Directors and Their Films. Westport, CT: Praeger, 2007. She was the first f ...

and originally aired in June 1988. Field, Walters, Swanson, Bennett, and

Jennifer Rhodes Jennifer Rhodes (born Janice Wilson, August 17, 1947) is an American actress.
, jennifer-rhodes.com; accessed August 15, 2015.

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(as Effie Gardner) are the only members of the cast to appear in both the film and the series.

Reception

The series was described in the ''

Chicago Tribune The ''Chicago Tribune'' is a daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, owned by Tribune Publishing. Founded in 1847, and formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" (a slogan for which WGN radio and television a ...

'' as portraying nursing students as women who "don't spend much time studying... utdo hang around in their underwear a lot". ''Nightingales'' was criticized for "demeaning the nursing profession...by portraying five student nurses as lusty bimbos", and the

American Nurses Association The American Nurses Association (ANA) is a 501(c)(6) professional organization to advance and protect the profession of nursing. It started in 1896 as the Nurses Associated Alumnae and was renamed the American Nurses Association in 1911. It is b ...

initiated a letter-writing campaign that prompted several of the show's sponsors to withdraw their advertising. The series was cancelled after 13 episodes. Aaron Spelling briefly revived it in syndication as the 1995 series ''

University Hospital A university hospital is an institution which combines the services of a hospital with the education of medical students and with medical research. These hospitals are typically affiliated with a medical school or university. The following i ...

''.

References

Sources

External links

* * {{Aaron Spelling 1989 American television series debuts 1989 American television series endings 1980s American medical television series English-language television shows NBC original programming Serial drama television series Television series by Spelling Television Television shows set in Los Angeles